The complete version!
The Spiritual Snake Nine Probing Needle Technique recorded in the Information Leaf—it was the complete version!
After all, even He Chengwei, an heir to the Spiritual Snake Nine Probing Needle Technique, only knew the first four probes. It wasn't that he didn't want to learn or that he lacked the talent to do so. The other five probes had simply been lost to the annals of history, impossible to learn even if one wanted to.
But now, what had appeared on the Information Leaf was the complete Spiritual Snake Nine Probing Needle Technique! All nine probes were included, recorded in meticulous detail!
"As expected of Wu Peng. Truly incredible!" Zhao Yuan exclaimed in awe, then couldn't help but mutter excitedly, "Looks like I'll have to seek out more incomplete formulas and techniques from now on. Maybe I can complete them! Oh, right! I remember the school forums have some incomplete formulas archived. I can go online and take a look when I get back…"
With time on his hands, Zhao Yuan carefully read the Information Leaf's records on the Spiritual Snake Nine Probing Needle Technique. While it was impossible to master this unique Acupuncture Technique in a short time, absorbing the theory first would make things much easier when he began hands-on practice later.
Time ticked by.
Soon, half an hour had passed.
During the acupuncture session, Yu Ke didn't feel anything out of the ordinary, which made her begin to doubt if the treatment was actually working. It wasn't just her; even He Chengwei was a little concerned. In the past, whenever he used the Spiritual Snake Nine Probing Needle Technique, the patient's reactions were always quite distinct. With Yu Ke, however, there was no such feedback.
The two of them voiced their concerns and doubts to Zhao Yuan.
Zhao Yuan, however, had no doubts about the treatment method. 'This is a technique from Wu Peng,' he thought, 'how could it possibly be ineffective?' He activated his Qi Observation Technique and saw that the Corpse Qi had already been drawn out of Yu Ke's heart, now concentrated at the acupoints where the Golden Needles were placed. "Don't worry," he said. "The treatment isn't just working—it's highly effective. Dr. He, don't remove the needles just yet. I'm going to get a medicinal paste ready."
Zhao Yuan hurried out of the acupuncture room. He went to the traditional medicine cabinet, grabbed some mugwort leaves and calamus, then ran to the supermarket next door and bought a bag of glutinous rice flour. He mixed the ingredients, ground them into a powder with a pestle, and added a bit of water to form a paste. Putting the paste into a bag, he returned to the acupuncture room and said to He Chengwei, "Dr. He, you can remove the needles now. Be careful, and don't get splashed by what comes out."
He Chengwei was stunned. 'It's not like I hit an artery,' he though. 'Is it really going to spray blood?' However, having witnessed Zhao Yuan's abilities before, he took the warning to heart. As he prepared to remove the Golden Needle, he adjusted his stance and, in the instant he pulled it out, quickly jumped back a step.
PFFT!
A soft sound escaped from the acupoint as the Golden Needle was withdrawn. A jet of dark-red, foul-smelling, tainted blood sprayed out. Thankfully, Zhao Yuan had warned him; otherwise, He Chengwei would have been completely splattered.
When the tainted blood hit the floor, it immediately frothed with white foam. The stench intensified, now laced with the suffocating miasma of a rotting corpse.
"What is happening?" He Chengwei cried out in alarm. In all his years of practice, he had treated tens of thousands of patients with acupuncture, but he had never once seen blood gush out like this upon removing a needle.
"That's the Corpse Qi that had accumulated inside Teacher Yu," Zhao Yuan explained, grabbing a handful of the specially made paste. He applied it to the acupoint, and it immediately began to sizzle.
"Keep going," Zhao Yuan said, turning to He Chengwei.
"Right." He Chengwei nodded. After that first experience, removing the rest of the needles was much easier. Within a few minutes, he had taken them all out. A stream of tainted blood thick with Corpse Qi shot from the acupoint with every needle removed, and each time, Zhao Yuan was ready to apply the special paste for Yu Ke as soon as the flow stopped.
Zhao Yuan handed the rest of the paste to He Chengwei. "There's still some left," he instructed. "Cover the tainted blood on the floor with this. You don't want to get infected by the Corpse Qi it contains."
"Of course." He Chengwei immediately did as he was told. Strangely enough, as soon as the paste was sprinkled over the tainted blood, the pungent, rotting stench was significantly suppressed. This prompted He Chengwei to ask, his curiosity piqued, "What is this paste?"
"It's a mixture of mugwort, calamus, and glutinous rice flour," Zhao Yuan explained openly. "All of them are particularly effective against corpse toxins." He wasn't stingy with the information, considering it a form of compensation for having 'secretly learned' He Chengwei's family's heirloom, the Spiritual Snake Nine Probing Needle Technique.
He Chengwei nodded repeatedly, committing the formula to memory. It might come in handy someday.
Zhao Yuan then turned to Yu Ke. "Teacher Yu," he asked, "how are you feeling?"
Yu Ke took a moment to assess the changes in her body. "Whenever it flared up recently, the pain was excruciating," she replied. "And even between episodes, I always felt this uncomfortable pressure, like something was blocking my chest. But now, that feeling is gone. I just don't know if the severe pain will come back tonight."
Zhao Yuan smiled. "Don't worry, Teacher Yu. The corpse toxins have been completely flushed from your system. I guarantee the severe pain won't return. Also, this is for you." An Exorcism Talisman materialized in his hand, and he offered it to Yu Ke.
"For me?" Yu Ke's jaw dropped.
She had seen for herself how miraculous the Exorcism Talisman was. She was also well aware of its value. That antiques dealer, Cheng Yunlong, had been willing to pay a hundred thousand yuan just to have Zhao Yuan make one for him!
"That's right," Zhao Yuan confirmed with a nod.
"No, I can't accept this. It's far too valuable," Yu Ke refused immediately.
'This Exorcism Talisman is worth at least a hundred thousand yuan! A hundred thousand! She had never received a gift worth more than a thousand yuan in her entire life.'
"Come on, don't be so hesitant. That's not like the 'Ice Mountain' beauty teacher I know!" Zhao Yuan teased with a smile before his expression turned serious. "Your Corpse Heart Syndrome might be cured, but you work with corpses frequently. You never know when you might be afflicted by Corpse Qi again. With this Exorcism Talisman, even if your own protective qi weakens, the Corpse Qi won't be able to get near you!"
After Zhao Yuan's persistent persuasion, Yu Ke finally accepted the Exorcism Talisman, tucking it away somewhere safe against her skin. Though her expression remained as impassive as ever, the moment she took the talisman, her heart began to pound in her chest.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice uncharacteristically soft.
"You're welcome," Zhao Yuan said with a smile, completely oblivious to the shift in Yu Ke's emotions.
Just then, He Chengwei's phone rang. He answered, and after a few brief words, his expression grew grave. "Where are you?" he asked, his voice low and serious.